1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to wireless communications. More particularly, the present invention relates to the management of automatically downloaded information received on a wireless communication device via short-range communications.
2. Description of Prior Art
Wireless communication devices (WCD) continue to proliferate in the marketplace due to technological improvements in both the quality of the communications and the functionality of the devices. Devices such as cellular telephones have become commonplace for both personal and business use, allowing users to transmit and receive voice, text and graphical data from a multitude of geographical locations. The communication networks utilized by WCDs span different frequencies and cover different broadcast distances, each having strengths applicable to different communication applications.
Cellular networks facilitate WCD communications over large geographic areas. GSM, a widely employed cellular network which communicates in the 900 MHZ-1.8 GHZ band in Europe and at 1.9 GHZ in the United States, provides voice communication and supports the transmission of textual data via the Short Messaging Service (SMS). SMS allows a WCD to transmit and receive text messages of up to 160 characters. It also provides data transfer to packet networks, ISDN and POTS users at 9.6 Kbps. While cellular networks like GSM are a well-accepted means for transmitting and receiving data, due to cost, traffic and legislative concerns, a cellular network may not be appropriate for all data applications.
Short-range wireless networks provide communication solutions that avoid the problems seen in cellular networks. Bluetooth™ is an example of a short-range wireless technology quickly gaining acceptance in the marketplace. A Bluetooth™ enabled WCD transmits and receives data at a rate of 720 Kbps within a range of 10 meters, and may transmit up to 100 meters with additional power boosting. A user does not actively instigate a Bluetooth™ network. Instead, a plurality of devices within operating range of each other will automatically form a network group called a “piconet”. Any device may promote itself to the master of the piconet, allowing it to control data exchanges with up to seven “active” slaves and 255 “parked” slaves. Active slaves exchange data based on the clock timing of the master. Parked slaves monitor a beacon signal in order to stay synchronized with the master, and wait for an active slot to become available. These devices continually switch between various active communication and power saving modes in order to transmit data to other piconet members.
The multitude of communication networks utilized by WCDs have created new opportunities for businesses to contact potential customers. Advertisers desire to use audio, text and graphical messages to promote goods and services directly to a consumer through a WCD. In order to control the rampant proliferation of advertising, often called “spamming” when referring to unsolicited email messages, many governments have implemented strict controls over how advertisers and information providers may use global cellular networks like GSM. For example, strict new laws are being passed in Korea where 5% of the 220 million cellular text messages sent daily are unsolicited advertisements. Many laws require opt-in for mobile marketing to prevent spam from getting to the consumer. For marketers, getting opt-in acceptance is a real problem. However, these regulatory problems currently do not exist for short-range networks.
Some services currently exist for marketers who desire to communicate information over short-range networks. The Nokia Local Marketing Solution is an information providing architecture for distributing data via short-range networks. A user who walks within transmission range of an access point using short-range communications (e.g., Bluetooth™) has information automatically downloaded to a memory buffer in the WCD. The user must then open a “shortcut” browser to select from various temporarily stored “bookmarks”. The selected bookmark is then permanently saved in the WCD, and in some cases, additional data relevant to the saved bookmark may then be retrieved via a cellular network. Unselected bookmarks are automatically deleted from the memory buffer when space is required to download new content.
iJack™ is a similar service provided by TeliaSonera Finland Oyj that provides graphical information to a user in effective range of a service point. The service point includes a Bluetooth™ broadcast device which may be totally wireless in that the service point may also be programmed wirelessly using a GPRS cellular link to a business. The service point can then simultaneously broadcast information over a piconet containing up to seven Bluetooth™ enabled WCDs. The user requires an iJack™ browser to view the information. After the browser is loaded, information is automatically downloaded to a WCD whenever the user comes into range of a service point. To save the data, the user must open the browser, find the information and manually trigger a download to the WCD.
While advertising over a short-range network may provide an innovative way for a business to reach a target consumer, communicating via this medium is not without its limitations. In both of the aforementioned existing services, a user may be forced to specify a category of information to receive (e.g., “coupons”) that does not adequately limit incoming messages. As a result, the WCD will continue to receive an overabundance of bookmarks. The user must repeatedly perform a manual sort through the downloaded information to indicate bookmarks desired to be saved. Otherwise, these desired bookmarks may inadvertently be discarded as older information is purged to make room in the memory buffer. The labor required for the user to manually maintain downloaded content is multiplied by the number of categories allowed to be downloaded to the WCD, turning an otherwise beneficial function into an unpleasant and tedious chore.
Further, a proliferation of wireless direct-to-consumer advertising may result in a backlash against these companies . Users who find their WCD filled with a plethora of undesired information, including spam, viruses and other unwelcome information, may take steps to prevent these messages from being downloaded. A disgruntled user could turn off the Bluetooth™ reception features of their WCD, which may result in all short-range communications being disabled in the device. This negatively impacts the consumer as well as the advertisers because the user will not be able to receive any advertisements, offers or information from which they might benefit.
As demonstrated above, software-based category filters are not dynamic nor precise enough to substantially improve the situation. Many category classifications include too much breadth to allow a user to define a specific subject matter out of the general field of messages. In addition, some information providers could take liberties with the classification of their messages so that they might bypass a filtering category. Finally, a user may want to receive information relevant to a certain geographic location, or only during a specific time period. For example, a user visiting a shopping mall may want to receive offers or coupons for sales only during the time they spend at that particular shopping mall. A category classification filter would require significant user configuration in order to provide a specific short-term permission in this manner.
Therefore, what is needed is a short-range wireless communication architecture that allows a WCD to receive only messages pertaining to desired offers or topics that may be conditionally implemented in a simple manner.